Emphasis continues to be placed on the importance of adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols as Dominica reports four (4) new active cases of COVID-19.
National Epidemiologist, Dr Shallaudin Ahmed reiterated the critical need for compliance with safety measures at a Ministry of Health press briefing on Wednesday night where he announced that Dominica had recorded 4 new active Covid-19 cases.
This means that the total number of confirmed cases in Dominica now stands at 72.
The number of active cases is seventeen (17) as to-date, according to Dr. Ahmed, a total of 55 cases have successfully recovered. There have been no deaths.
“Over the past week we have had 4 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, two of the 4 cases are linked to a cluster originating from the All Saints University,” he revealed. “The 3rd case was identified following a rapid test confirmed at the Douglas-Charles Airport during entry.”
Dr. Ahmed said the 4th case is a foreign national who was identified via travel screening.
According t the epidemiologist, the cases – two males and two females – are between the ages of 23 and 38-years-old.
“Two of them exhibited mild flu-like symptoms mainly low grade fever and runny nose a week prior to their diagnosis,” Dr.Ahmed revealed.
Dr. Ahmed said contact tracing is ongoing and so far 72 contacts have been tested and all are negative.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Health has initiated mass screening at the All Saint’s University where the recent cluster cases were identified.
He said investigations are ongoing and information will be shared with the public as it becomes available.
Dr. Ahmed further emphasized the importance of wearing face masks while in a public space, frequent hand washing or the use of alcohol base hand sanitizer.
“Maintaining a 6 feet physical distance from others and those who are experiencing flu-like illness stay away from public gatherings and stay home,” he warned.
Start shutting down the country slowly. The holidays are approaching no parties or hang out at bars. Give a time frame. Dominica cannot afford full blown virus
while this pandemic has touched every country negatively and all necessary steps must be taken for eradication, some of our actions need question and answers. Reading the lists of countries mentioned in the travel protocols ,high. low ,medium ,and the bubble one country was left out which looks like ”I cannot bite the hand that feeds me even if that country is thought to have started this fiasco. Then there is what is called safe in nature where a passenger becomes a quest in managed experience at safe in nature certified properties . Are these properties not hotels trying to stay in business ?Does this virus know or care about the difference between a Dominican and a man or family montana or London?
Send people in quarantine still who are negative all you will see how it will spread like wild fire